290 CHERSOPHYTES sect, xii 



tracts in the Banjani, and are readily distinguished from the lush meadows 

 on the belt of schists, in that, owing to the lack of a stratum of earth, 

 they form no continuous grassy sward but are traversed by weathering 

 limestone ridges. True it is that at the time of spring-rains they show 

 up in full green and are richly mottled with a gay show of blossom. Yet 

 the sun's rays soon melt the last remnants of the winter-snow, the fissured 

 limestone swallows up not only the summer's rain but also part of its own 

 subterranean water ; and in July one sees merely parched grassland which 

 is trampled by cattle and yields only a very mediocre crop of pallid grass. 



In Eastern Germany, Hungary, Western Russia. There is a 

 community in these regions belonging to the same type, namely, that 

 of the sunny, Pontic (Pannonian) hills, which, on account of its warm 

 nature, is largely utihzed for viticulture. In appearance it does not 

 differ from many steppes in south-eastern Europe. In spring the slopes 

 and undulating plains often display a wealth of blossom, and in many 

 places Adonis vernalis plays a leading part. In addition species of 

 Peucedanum, Dianthus Carthusianorum, Tunica prohfera, Scorzonera 

 purpurea, and above all Stipa pennata and S. capillata, are characteristic 

 plants.^ 



Alvar-vegetation of Sweden. In the interior of the island Oland 

 is a plateau composed of Silurian limestone. And here is found charac- 

 teristic vegetation composed of xerophytic perennial herbs and under- 

 shrubs. The first pecuharity that strikes the eye is the dwarfed growth 

 of all the component plants. All the species are smaller here than they 

 are elsewhere, and are represented by forms that are remarkable for the 

 small size of their leaf-blades. The grasses, including Festuca ovina 

 and F. oelandica, have rolled leaves, so likewise have some other common 

 species, including Potentilla fruticosa. Many species are represented by 

 very hairy varieties, such as Plantago lanceolata var. dubia and 

 P. maritima var. gentilis, Medicago lupulina ; Festuca ovina var. glauca 

 is protected by a coating of wax. The leaves are, as a rule, directed 

 sharply upwards and more or less isolateral ; they also have a thick- 

 walled epidermis and small intercellular spaces. But the branches trail 

 over the ground in Artemisia campestris, A. rupestris, Herniaria glabra, 

 Thymus Serpyllum, and several other species. Annual herbs are 

 frequent. Bulbous plants are represented by only a solitary species, 

 Allium Schoenoprasum. There is in fact a strong resemblance between 

 this vegetation and that of steppe. But the moist air is responsible for 

 the appearance, between the forms that are characteristic of steppe, of 

 other growth-forms, such as mosses and the evergreen undershrub 

 Calluna vulgaris, which are as different as possible from the forms 

 prevailing on steppe.^ Similar alvar-vegetaition occurs also on Gotland 

 and in Gotland.^ 



In Spain. In Spain dry grassy wastes are stated by Willkomm * 

 to occur. But it is not clear whether or no these belong to steppe. 



In Madeira. On the highland of Madeira on dry shallow soil there | 

 occurs a pecuhar t^ype of waste herbage which is colonized almost exclu- : 



^ See Grabner, i395, iQOi I Domin, 1905 ; Vierhapper und Handel-Mazetti, 1905. j 

 ^ J. Erikson, 1895; Hemmendorff, 1897; Grevillius, 1897; Witte, 1906. | 



* Sernander, 1908. * Willkomm, 1896. See also Rikli, 1907. 



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